


Tangled up with You All Night

by linksofmemories



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Assassin's Festival DLC, Dirty Talk, First Time, Friends to Lovers, Frottage, M/M, Massage, Miscommunication
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-03
Updated: 2017-09-03
Packaged: 2018-12-23 07:26:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11985054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/linksofmemories/pseuds/linksofmemories
Summary: “Gladio’s not even my type,” Prompto said. “If I were to go out with a guy, it’d be with someone like the Marshal.”“Cor?” Noctis asked, wrinkling his nose. “But he’s so old.”“His personality is my type, not his age,” Prompto said. “He’s strong and serious and capable. A good fighter. Dark, mysterious… sexy.”“You just described Gladio.”





	Tangled up with You All Night

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place during the Assassin's Festival DLC where Prompto got super jealous whenever he saw Gladio flirt with someone.

“That’s the fourth girl, Noct,” Prompto said. “The _fourth_ girl. That is so messed up.”

“Uh, yeah, I guess,” Noctis said with a shrug of his shoulders.

Prompto squinted at his best friend, surprised at his sudden change in tone. The first three girls had made Noctis equally as uncomfortable as him, but now he seemed completely unbothered by Gladio flirting with every girl at the festival. Those four girls didn’t even count the Goddess Cindy, who Gladio had cornered their first night.

“It’s messed up, Noct.”

“I mean, sure.” Another shoulder shrug. “It is a lot of girls for just a few days, but none of them seem upset about it. It’s not like we’ve run into him making any of them uncomfortable.”

“Well, he’s making me uncomfortable,” Prompto said.

Very uncomfortable. It was strange seeing Gladio, who was usually so strict and serious about everything, being so… charming. With every girl they had seen him with, Gladio had put on a confident smile and a relaxed posture. Not to mention the cheesy pickup lines which made Prompto roll his eyes, but made every girl swoon. It was almost as if none of them could look past his muscles or his scar or his tattoo to see that Gladio was ultimately unappealing and unworthy of their affections.

Or something like that.

“I kinda think you’re jealous, Prompto,” Noctis said.

“Jealous that he flirted with Cindy?” Prompto said. “Of course I am! He knows that I like her, and he still flirted with her. Right in front of my face!”

“That’s not really what I meant,” Noctis said. “Yeah, everyone knows you like Cindy, but you don’t even know those other girls.”

Prompto stopped walking to fold his arms across his chest. “What exactly are you saying?”

Noctis seemed to regret his decision to speak up. He sighed heavily, rubbing the back of his neck and avoiding eye contact with Prompto. “I just thought… well, uh… we’ve been on this road trip together for a while, the four of us, and sometimes you notice things, and, y’know, I could just be imagining it, but I’ve always got the impression that you, kind of… liked Gladio.”

“What.”

“You’re always looking at him,” Noctis continued. “And when we look at all the photos you took at the end of the day, most of them are of Gladio–”

“He’s just naturally photogenic,” Prompto said. “And he’s the best fighter, so I get good action shots of him, it’s not that I’d _want_ to take the most photos of him, it’s just that he’s a good subject, from an artistically objective standpoint–”

“You like Gladio, Prompto.”

“No, I don’t.”

Prompto could tell that Noctis was unconvinced, but he was sticking to his answer. He liked Gladio as a friend, like he liked Noctis and Ignis. Even though now Gladio was definitely at the bottom of his friend list since he couldn’t turn a corner without seeing him hitting on a random girl. Being attracted to guys wasn’t even new to Prompto, since he had realized (and quickly moved past) his bisexual self-identity crisis a few years ago.

“He’s not even my type,” Prompto said. “If I were to go out with a guy, it’d be with someone like the Marshal.”

“Cor?” Noctis asked, wrinkling his nose. “But he’s so old.”

“His personality is my type, not his age,” Prompto said. “He’s strong and serious and capable. A good fighter. Dark, mysterious… sexy.”

“You just described Gladio.”

“No, I didn’t,” Prompto argued. “You know what, forget I said anything. I’m done talking about this.”

“Okay,” Noctis said, putting his hands up.

There was a moment of awkward silence, something that never happened between the two of them. Prompto really did want to drop the entire subject, but he couldn’t help thinking about what Noctis had said. He did pay a lot of attention to Gladio, but it wasn’t because he liked the older man. Sure, he was attractive, anyone could notice that, but seeing him flirt with so many different girls had left a sour taste in his mouth.

“So, are you gonna help me find the rest of these flags or not?” Noctis asked.

Prompto groaned. “Seriously? It’s hot outside and my feet hurt and there are so many flags, and we know the only prize we’re going to get is more medallions, is it really worth–”

“I’ll buy you that photography magazine if you help me.”

“A man after my own heart. Lead the way, Noct.”

**OoOoOoO**

After walking in circles around Lestallum for hours in the blazing heat, Prompto decided that assassin sandals were not appropriate footwear. Noctis had led him up every rooftop and between every alley looking for the flags. It was sundown when they finished and the prize had been, as he’d predicted, more medallions. Noctis made good on his promise to buy him the magazine though.

With blisters on the bottom of his feet and sweat matting down his hair, he made his way back to the Leville. Noctis and Ignis were getting something to eat at the Tostwell Grill, but Prompto was too tired to work up the enthusiasm to go. Besides, the Leville had a room service menu and he was looking forward to eating pancakes for dinner without the judgement from Ignis about his unhealthy choice.

Once he made it back to their room he collapsed onto the bed he shared with Noctis, sighing happily at the feeling of the cool cotton against his warm face. He was undoubtedly sunburnt, pale skin and freckles making for a terrible combination against the sun. Sunburnt, sweaty, and blistered made for a very unhappy Prompto.

He groaned, forcing himself up from the bed and to his duffel bag to find a change of clothes. After grabbing a clean tank top and a loose pair of cotton pants he went to the bathroom, pulling apart his confusing cosplay as he went. Eventually he was naked and under the hot spray of the shower. He cleaned himself quickly, finding the hot water agitated his sensitive skin. Not to mention standing was getting increasingly uncomfortable.

It didn’t take him long to change into his clothes and fall back on the bed again, this time star fishing out on the middle of it. He reached over to the bedside table, picking up the hotel phone and pressing the number for room service. Prompto ordered a stack of pancakes with sides of bacon and sausage in case he was in the mood for something savory when the food arrived.

To no surprise, he fell asleep soon after ordering the food and flipping through only a few pages of the magazine. He was exhausted and the luxury of air conditioning and a comfortable bed was making it impossible for him to stay awake. He dozed off into a light sleep, feeling safe to do so for the first time in weeks. It couldn’t have been more than 10 minutes when he was brought out of his sleep by the room door opening.

“Already?” he mumbled, his eyes still closed as he turned his face into his pillow. “Wow, that was fast.”

“What was fast?”

Definitely not room service. The voice was deep, familiar, and, irritatingly, amused. It was also the last voice Prompto wanted to hear, feeling all of his long abandoned frustration coming back to him.

He opened his eyes, finding that he had to squint since Gladio had turned on the room’s overhead light.

“You’re not pancakes.”

Gladio chuckled, attractively. Prompto didn’t know how someone could chuckle attractively, but Gladio did and it was pissing him off.

“Sorry about that,” Gladio said. The bed dipped down next to Prompto and the blond turned his head to look at him. “What are you doing in here by yourself? Noct and Iggy texted me. They’re at the Tostwell.”

“I know,” Prompto said. “I didn’t want to go.”

The look of surprise on Gladio’s face was genuine and for some reason that made Prompto more agitated. “Why not? You love that place.”

“Not in the mood.”

The silence that followed was almost loud, considering all of the things Prompto wanted to say to Gladio. He wanted to tell him off for flirting with Cindy and then flirting with every other girl in Lestallum. He stopped himself though, realizing that complaining about it to Noctis was one thing, but confronting Gladio was entirely different. They would start arguing and then Gladio wouldn’t stop until Prompto could give him a legitimate excuse for being upset. And Prompto knew he wouldn’t be able to do that.

“Yeah I can see why,” Gladio said. “Shit, Prompto, what’d you do to your feet?”

Before Prompto could start to explain, a hand – large, calloused, and warm – circled around his ankle, turning it so that Gladio could get a better look at the sole of his foot. Prompto inhaled sharply, tempted to jerk his foot away, but almost too tired to. Too tired, that was right. It had nothing to do with the hand (that he knew was capable of breaking his fibula with the right angle and pressure) gently holding his skin or the thumb stroking over a patch of blond leg hair.

“Sandals,” Prompto said. “Walking. And climbing. Noct’s cosplay comes with boots.”

Gladio hummed in acknowledgment, taking his hand off of his ankle and suddenly making it so Prompto could breathe again. “It’s good that you took a shower, so it’s clean. Let me grab a potion.”

“A potion?” Prompto asked, unable to keep the whine out of his voice. “For some blisters? Gladio, it’s not that big of a deal.”

“Potions are cheap,” Gladio said, rummaging through one of Ignis’ bags. “And it is a big deal. Hurt feet slow you down. We don’t need that.”

Of course Gladio was worried about him slowing the team down. Why wouldn’t that be the biggest issue to him?

He watched as Gladio sat back down on the edge of the bed, opening the potion and pouring some on one hand before setting the bottle down. Prompto looked away as soon as Gladio made contact with his foot, focusing on the view outside the window. Snowball the cat was outside, stretching on the ledge and basking in the last remaining rays of sun as the day came to an end.

The potion stung a bit, as it always did, and Prompto was almost embarrassed that he wasn’t used to the sting of it. He should be, since he used more potions than anyone else did in their group. The sting sharpened a bit as a rather nasty blister healed itself. He let out a moan of discomfort, shifting on the bedspread.

“You okay?” Gladio asked.

“Yeah, just, hurts,” Prompto mumbled.

He expected Gladio to make a joke about him being a baby or that he needed to toughen up, but instead both hands came to his foot. Gladio cradled it before rubbing his thumbs into the middle of his sole, making Prompto’s foot arch in his hands.

“What’re you doing?”

“Just relax for a sec.”

There was the gruff order he had been expecting. Except it was less gruff and more tender, sweet even. Prompto continued to watch Snowball, refusing to look at Gladio, whose hands were massaging his foot. It was completely healed by now, but still sore from the potion itself. The soreness was getting worked out by Gladio’s hands. Sure and strong and steady and Prompto needed to stop thinking about that. He focused all of his attention on Snowball, hoping the cat would start doing something interesting. Snowball was very uninterested in being interesting though, since the cat was now curling into a ball, ready to go to sleep.

“I’m going to heal your other foot now,” Gladio said. “So, head’s up for that.”

“Oh, right,” Prompto said. “Thanks.”

Soon his other foot was stinging, this one worse than the first. The potion was bubbling up in the blisters, the quiet hissing sound the only noise in the hotel room. Well, it was until Prompto let out a small whine, turning his face into his pillow. Gladio’s hand gave a gentle squeeze to his ankle in apology.

“Low pain tolerance, huh?” Gladio asked. The words itself sounded like Gladio was mocking him, but his tone wasn’t mocking at all. He was concerned, sympathetic even, and Prompto was confused.

“You knew that already,” Prompto said, finally looking at Gladio.

That was a mistake. Gods, he was handsome. Tan skin, intense eyes, broad shoulders to match his broad everything else. His scars only served to amplify the appeal of his muscles. Prompto felt the white hot flash of jealousy again, thinking back to all the girls Gladio had flirted with at the festival. They probably all took one look at him and fell for every lame pickup line Gladio threw at them.

The thoughts left his head quickly when Gladio started to rub his recently healed foot. This one was even more tender than the other, so the feeling of Gladio’s rough hands, pressing firmly on to his sole made his head tilt back on the pillow. A moan escaped from his lips and despite Prompto’s mild mortification at the sound, Gladio was unaffected. He continued to dig his thumbs into Prompto’s sole, his other fingers rubbing the top of his foot.

Gladio must have been a masseuse in a past life because he was way too good at this. Either that or he had practiced this before.

“You’re good at this,” Prompto said, hating how his voice sounded almost breathless.

“All thanks to His Royal Highness,” Gladio said.

“Seriously?” Prompto asked. “Noct demanded foot rubs from you?”

“On occasion when he really wanted to be a little shit,” Gladio said. “Sometimes I would be a little too hard on him during sparring sessions, so he would insist. And sometimes I would lose bets.”

Prompto snorted. “Noct can be very persuasive.”

“More like bratty,” Gladio said. “I don’t mind doing this for you, though.”

Prompto couldn’t think of a response to that, so he closed his eyes and sunk into the sheets even more. Knowing that Gladio did this for Noctis took some tension out of the act. Noctis was like Gladio’s little brother, so this was probably some tedious chore to Gladio.

A tedious chore that was starting to feel more pleasurable than Prompto anticipated. The soreness from the potion was wearing off and in its stead was a tingling sense of pleasure. He heard that feet had pleasure nerves in them, but he never experienced it like this before. Prompto took a deep breath and tried to start focusing on his breathing. Ignis sometimes talked about breathing techniques and how they could help one to relax. That would have been helpful if he had actually paid enough attention to remember the details.

Gladio moved his hands, making it so Prompto’s foot was sandwiched between his palms. He applied pressure to his sole and Prompto’s mouth opened, a soft, “ _Oh_ ,” coming out. Gladio did the motion again, this time with even more surety than before. Prompto moaned, one of his hands flying up to the pillow behind his head to tug at the lavish pillowcase.

He should be mortified. He wasn’t unaware of the noises he was making, but it felt good and he was tired. It was like a combination of being sleepy and being out in the sun all day. The heat from his sunburned face was almost making him lightheaded, and his empty stomach probably wasn’t helping. Gladio’s hand moved up to his calf, working at a knot that Prompto didn’t even know he had. He whined, sounding nearly distressed, making Gladio grip his leg firmly.

“Hey, I got you,” he said, his deep voice as gentle as his touch.

What the actual hell was happening. Throughout the day Prompto had grown more and more furious with Gladio, and now here he was, melting into the man’s touch and letting himself be taken care of. It was different from how Noctis or Ignis would go about it too. After a bad day, Noctis would offer a shoulder to cry on or a distraction in the form of video games. Ignis would cook him whatever he wanted and let him vent to him while giving advice. He never imagined how Gladio would take care of him after a bad day, but his wildest dreams never would have led him to this. Especially since Gladio himself was part of the reasoning behind his bad day.

“You’re red,” Gladio said.

Well, no shit. He was being rubbed down by one of the hottest guys he’d ever seen. Of course he was red.

“Did you forget to wear sunscreen?”

Oh. That kind of red.

All of the magic that had been lingering in the room was suddenly gone. Gladio wasn’t talking huskily. Prompto wasn’t writhing on the bed under his touch. The hotel room wasn’t hazy and hot and dimly lit. The overhead light was still on and so was the air conditioner, making the room pleasantly cool. Every sexy element Prompto imagined had been just that: his imagination.

“Uh, yeah,” Prompto said, looking at Gladio to see a disapproving face Ignis would be proud of. “Noctis and I were just excited to get out to the festival and forgot.”

Gladio sighed heavily, letting go of Prompto’s leg and standing up. “I’m pretty sure Iggy has some aloe vera gel in one of these bags.”

Prompto sat up on the bed, giving a glance to his crotch to see that his dick was, thankfully, behaving. He then looked at Gladio, still wearing his assassin cosplay, crotched down next to Ignis’ medicine bag and rummaging through it. He found what he was looking for, making his way back to the bed with a glass jar of pale green gel. Gladio sat on the bed, unscrewing the jar’s lid and nodding at Prompto. “Take your shirt off.”

“What?” Prompto said. “Gladio, I can do that myself.”

“I know,” Gladio said. “But I want to do it for you.”

For the first time, Prompto was grateful for his sunburn, knowing that his blush just blended into it. He grabbed the bottom of his tank top before slipping it over his head. Slightly self-conscious, he wrapped his arms around his middle, hoping to hide the mass of freckles on his torso and the thin, white stretchmarks on his hips and stomach.

“I’ve seen you without a shirt, Prompto,” Gladio said. “Move your arms.”

“Bossy,” Prompto said with a roll of his eyes, but still moving his arms.

Unlike the potion, the aloe didn’t hurt, but it was shockingly cold against his warm skin. He got used to it soon though, finding it soothing. Gladio didn’t massage his skin like he did with his feet, and Prompto was grateful. Partly because massaging sunburnt skin would hurt, and partly because he didn’t want to make any more embarrassing moans.

After covering his shoulders and torso, Gladio applied more gel to his hands before moving to cup Prompto’s face.

“Nope,” Prompto said, pulling away.

“Your face is the reddest part of you, Prompto,” Gladio said.

“Yeah, well I have oily skin,” Prompto said. “I don’t want the gel to make me break out.”

“You should have thought of that before leaving the hotel without sunscreen on,” Gladio said. He made a move toward Prompto’s face again, and Prompto reluctantly let him.

“You sound like Iggy.”

Gladio chuckled, brushing his thumb, feather soft, over one of Prompto’s cheekbones. “I’ll take that as a compliment. There, done with your face. Now turn around so I can get your back.”

Prompto did as he was told, realizing it was easier than putting up a fight he was doomed to lose. Gladio continued by spreading the gel over his back. They sat in silence while Prompto started to contemplate what Noctis had said earlier that day. Why was Prompto so jealous that Gladio flirted with so many girls? Like Noctis said, none of the girls were uncomfortable by Gladio’s advances. Maybe it was because it was multiple girls. Maybe it was because the first girl Prompto saw Gladio flirt with was Cindy.

It wasn’t doing him any good to silently worry about it, so he spoke up. “Last night, by the café,” he started, “you were flirting with Cindy.”

He didn’t phrase it as a question because there wasn’t a question there. The statement sounded accusatory, but Prompto knew that he was right.

“Yeah,” Gladio said. “I always flirt with Cindy.”

That was not the answer Prompto expected him to say. He expected denial or fake confusion, not an outright admission.

“Why?” Prompto asked. “You know I like her.”

He was blushing. Out of embarrassment, mostly, even though he knew that Gladio was already aware of his crush.

“I know,” Gladio said, patting Prompto on the shoulder, “and Cindy’s my friend. It’s just kind of our thing.”

“Your ‘thing?’”

“When we first met her, I hit on her and she thought it was funny,” Gladio said and somehow Prompto could feel him shrug, despite not facing him. “She said she was going to tell her girlfriend about it. It’s kind of like a joke between us.”

All of Prompto’s thoughts grinded to a halt. He didn’t know Gladio and Cindy had inside jokes between them. He especially didn’t know that the inside joke was flirting of all things. What really got to him though was the word “girlfriend.”

“Cindy has a girlfriend?” Prompto asked.

“Yeah, Holly,” Gladio said. “I shouldn’t even be telling you this, she should be the one. She wants to let you down easy, but I think she’s taking too long to do it.”

“Let me down easy?” Prompto said, hating how shaky his voice sounded. “I don’t understand. Gladio, what–”

There was a sharp knock on the door followed by a voice, “Room service! Sorry about the wait!”

“Must be your pancakes,” Gladio said. He rubbed the excess gel from his hands onto his pant legs before going to the door. Prompto was still sat on the bed, trying to digest what Gladio had told him. “They look pretty good. Not as good as anything Iggy would make though.”

Prompto couldn’t even bring himself to look at the tray of food Gladio placed on the bedside table before sitting back down next to him. “Who else knows?”

“Knows what?” Gladio asked. “That Cindy and Holly are together?” Prompto could only nod in response. “Well, Iggy and Noctis for starters.”

“Really?” Prompto said, feeling his stomach sink. He placed his face in his hands. “Oh, Gods, I must look like such an idiot. Everyone must think that I’m an idiot.”

“Hey, no one thinks that,” Gladio said. His voice was soft and gentle again, but instead of comforting, or even arousing, it was annoying. Patronizing. What was even worse was the hand Gladio placed on his leg, his long fingers curling around his inner thigh while his damned thumb started to stroke his knee.

“Don’t,” Prompto said. “Don’t touch me.”

Gladio took his hand off so quickly it was as if he had been burned. “Prompto, what’s wrong?”

“I just want to be alone,” Prompto said. He finally looked at the tray of food on the bedside table. It looked good, but he found that his appetite was gone. “You’re the last person I want to see right now.”

All of his feelings from a few hours ago were resurfacing. Images of Gladio hitting on every girl in sight were flooding to the forefront of his mind and nothing he did was getting rid of them.

“What’s up with you?” Gladio asked, and Prompto noticed the slight edge in his voice.

“Can’t you just leave?” he said. “Isn’t there a girl you can take out to dinner or take back to her apartment or something?”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“Nothing, just go.” He wrapped his arms around his middle again, desperately wanting to grab his shirt and put it back on. Everything was going wrong and he wanted to stop feeling so vulnerable.

“Fine,” Gladio said. “I’ll go eat with Iggy and Noct. Maybe when we come back you won’t be acting so fucking weird.”

Prompto didn’t watch him go. He waited until he heard the slam of the door before his tense shoulders relaxed and he put his face back in his hands.

**OoOoOoO**

Prompto woke up the next morning feeling sore from his sunburn. He squinted before fully opening his eyes, noticing that the sun was already glaring into the room. Noctis was fast asleep next to him with the covers up to his neck. The only thing Prompto could see of him was a head of black hair on the pillow. He turned away from Noctis and to the bedside table where his glasses case was. He waited a few minutes to adjust to the sunlight before fully opening his eyes and putting on his glasses.

The hotel room was empty, aside from the two of them, but there was a note on one of the pillows on the other bed. Written in neat cursive was a note from Ignis, telling them that he would be in the main square if they needed him. There wasn’t anything from Gladio on the note.

Prompto sat in an armchair in the room, flipping through the photography magazine before Noctis woke up. The prince was zombielike after first waking, walking along the wall of the room before stumbling into the bathroom. Prompto finished up an article about an up-and-coming photographer in the magazine when Noctis stumbled out of the bathroom, hair damp from his shower. He was already dressed in his master assassin cosplay, ready for another day at the festival.

“Shower’s all yours,” he said, still not entirely awake, but more than he was before.

“I’ll pass,” Prompto said. “I took one last night and I’m going to be sweaty at the end of the day. I’ll take one then.”

“Suit yourself,” Noctis said, collapsing back onto the bed.

Prompto got dressed quickly and traded his glasses for contacts before heading downstairs with Noctis to the hotel’s dining room. He got another serving of pancakes, since he never even touched the ones from last night, while Noctis ate bacon and eggs.

After finishing their breakfast, they headed back into the festival. They walked around for a bit, playing games as they went and collecting more medallions than they knew what to do with. Every now and then they had to avoid a magitek trooper, since they were still in town even though Loqi was gone.

“So, Gladio had dinner with Iggy and me last night,” Noctis said. “He said you were upset.”

He wasn’t surprised that Gladio told him that they had left things badly. Prompto was hoping that he hadn’t mentioned anything about the awkward foot rub.

“I need to apologize,” Noctis said, “for keeping the thing about Cindy a secret. You’re my best friend and I know how much you like her–”

“Whoa, Noct,” Prompto said, placing a hand on Noctis’ shoulder. “That’s not why I was upset. I mean, not completely. I get why you didn’t tell me about that. It wasn’t your place to tell anyone.”

“I know,” Noctis said. “I just didn’t know if she had any plans to tell you and every time you talked about her it was like you were falling for her more and more. I didn’t want you to keep getting your hopes up.”

Prompto knew that Noctis was trying to be apologetic, but it still stung to hear it like that. Had he really been that pathetic with his endless babble about Cindy? She was a beautiful and capable woman. She was probably the most amazing woman Prompto had ever met and all he did was talk about how much he liked her.

“It’s okay, Noct, really,” Prompto said. “I’ll get over it. Honestly, I’m happy that Cindy has a girlfriend and that she’s happy. That’s what’s really important.”

Noctis didn’t look convinced and Prompto wasn’t exactly convincing himself either. He truly was happy for Cindy, but he was still disappointed. He actually thought that he had a shot with her, and while there were plenty of other people for him to fall in love with, there would only ever be one Cindy.

“If you say so,” Noctis said. “Come on, I’ll buy you lunch.”

They took a break from the festival games to head to the café where they were selling Galahdian food. Noctis bought them skewers that they ate while watching the chocobo races.

“These are pretty good,” Prompto said, starting on his second skewer. “I’ve never had Galahdian food before.”

“They’re good, but not that authentic,” Noctis said.

“You’ve been to Galahd?”

“No, but someone from Galahd has cooked for me before.”

Noctis looked sad as he said it and Prompto wanted to ask him about it, but he thought against it. If Noctis wanted to talk about it, then he would bring it up to him.

They finished their food before heading back into the heart of town. Ignis was in the main square with a notebook and pen, jotting down something that was on a sign.

“What’s up, Specs?” Noctis said.

Ignis looked up at them before gesturing toward the sign. “Treasure hunt. I’m writing down the clues from each sign.”

“Cool,” Noctis said. “Can I see what you have so far?”

Ignis showed his notebook to Noctis who read the clues. While Noctis read, Ignis turned his attention to Prompto.

“Gladio was right,” Ignis said. “You’re positively red. Please tell me you had the foresight to put on sunscreen before you left today.”

There was a short silence before Prompto responded. “Well, we were in such a hurry this morning; I didn’t really get the chance.”

“Prompto,” Ignis said, disapproval heavy in his voice. “Exposure to the sun is no laughing matter. Especially since you have such fair skin.”

“Noct has fair skin too.”

Ignis raised an eyebrow at that, considering what he said. He turned to Noctis who was wearing a grin. “I put on sunscreen after showering this morning. Besides, my costume covers everything except for my face.”

Dammit Noctis.

“Prompto, I strongly advise you go back to the hotel to apply some,” Ignis said. “It’s midday. The sun is at its highest point in the sky right now.”

“Okay, okay,” Prompto said. “I’ll go back to the Leville. Just don’t find the treasure before I’m back.”

“No promises,” Noctis said.

Prompto flipped him off before walking away from them. He moved quickly through the back alleys, anxious to get back to them. His mind was completely empty of all thoughts of Gladio until he turned a corner to see the back of the older man, leaning against a wall.

“The festival is going to be over in a couple days,” Gladio said to his next victim. “So, I suggest we make the most of it while we can.”

“Sounds like you’re a man who’s only interested in one thing,” said a voice that was a lot more masculine than Prompto anticipated.

“I like to be straightforward,” Gladio said. “I don’t want to lead anyone on.”

“I can respect that,” the other person said, “and I have to say I’m interested in the same thing.”

It would be easy for Prompto to turn around and take another alley to the Leville, but for some reason his feet decided to move on their own. He stayed to the opposite side of the alley as he walked closer. Gladio was wearing the same confident grin from yesterday, but the person he was flirting with was completely different.

Instead of a girl, it was a guy. He was around their age with dark skin and a lean muscular build. Prompto pegged him at about six feet tall, but even then Gladio towered over him. He was handsome and smiling back at Gladio, receptive to everything he was hearing.

“Prompto?”

He had not thought the plan through. Instead of walking by briskly after checking them out, Prompto had stopped in the middle of the alley, staring at them.

“Oh, uh, hey Gladio,” he said. “I’m just, uh, y’know. Sunscreen. I forgot sunscreen.”

His eyes darted back and forth between Gladio and the guy he was flirting with. This was so confusing. He thought Gladio was the straightest person he’d ever met. He looked at Gladio and always thought about what an outstanding heterosexual he was.

“Okay,” Gladio said slowly.

“Who’s this?” the guy asked. His hand was on Gladio’s arm and for some reason that was making Prompto insanely upset.

“His boyfriend,” Prompto blurted out.

Oh, shit. What the hell was he saying? Gladio’s eyebrows went up into his forehead and the other guy’s hand immediately dropped from his arm.

“Yeah, I’m his boyfriend,” Prompto continued. He turned to face Gladio. “What do you think you’re doing? Cheating on me? _Again_?”

His voice was high and shrill. It wasn’t a product of terrific acting, but out of his own mortification. Prompto didn’t know what he was doing, but he knew that it was too late to turn back now.

“Sorry, I didn’t know he was taken,” the guy said, backing away. “I’m gonna go.”

He nearly ran down the alley, leaving Prompto alone with a confused Gladio.

“Anyway, I should get that sunscreen,” Prompto said.

“Don’t you fucking dare,” Gladio said, placing a hand on Prompto’s shoulder. “What was that?”

“I was, I mean,” Prompto started. “Joking. It was a joke. A practical joke. Haha, I got you good, big guy.”

Prompto punched Gladio lightly on the arm, forcing out a laugh. Gladio was understandably not amused. He grabbed Prompto’s other shoulder with his hand, looking down at him. Gladio’s muscular build wasn’t the only thing intimidating about him; it was also his height. The top of Prompto’s head barely came up to Gladio’s shoulders and he had to crane his neck back to look at him.

“I don’t understand you,” Gladio said. “You were pissed at me yesterday for flirting with Cindy and now you’re pissed at me for flirting with someone you don’t even know. What’s your problem?”

“You’re my problem,” Prompto said, before he could think through a proper response. “You flirted with five different girls yesterday and then last night you… In the hotel room, you… No one has taken care of me like that before and now you’re flirting with some guy and I thought you were straight and I’m very confused.”

Gladio was also confused given by the expression on his face, but he still tried to give an answer. “I didn’t flirt with girls, Prompto. I don’t like girls; my sister is a girl. I flirted with women.”

“Okay,” Prompto said. “A technicality. You still did it though.”

“Am I not allowed to?” Gladio asked. “Did Noctis give me a royal order that said I wasn’t allowed to get laid? And how was it my problem that you thought I was straight? I’m not. I don’t care what my partner’s gender is or what’s between their legs. I’m attracted to consenting adults who are attracted to me.”

“That’s fair,” Prompto said. He was going to add more to his argument before he realized that he didn’t exactly have one.

“And about last night,” Gladio said. “Prompto, I did that because I wanted to. Are you upset because I made you uncomfortable?”

“Uncomfortable?” Prompto repeated. “I wasn’t uncomfortable. Having a hot guy touching me like that was the farthest thing from uncomfortable.”

“You think I’m hot?”

“Have you looked at yourself lately?”

“Wait,” Gladio said, pinching the bridge of his nose. “You’re attracted to men?”

“I’m bi,” Prompto said. “How is it my problem that you thought I was straight?”

The corner of Gladio’s mouth twitched up at Prompto throwing his own words back at him. He sighed, looking back down at Prompto who was looking particularly smug.

“You were jealous,” Gladio said.

Prompto stopped looking smug at that exact moment.

“No, I wasn’t,” he said.

“You were,” Gladio said. “All this time, I thought you were only attracted to women. I told myself to give up on you because it was never going to happen.”

“Okay, first of all, I wasn’t jealous,” Prompto said, “and what do you mean ‘all this time?’ Do you like me?”

“Yeah, I do,” Gladio said and Prompto didn’t know why he was so surprised by how straightforward he was. “Prompto, I’ve been crazy about you ever since I first met you in that arcade.”

He could remember it. Exams had been hell and Prompto and Noctis had gone to the arcade after school to blow off steam. Gladio had shown up in his tracksuit and baseball cap, intimidating and too attractive for Prompto to even process. But then that intimidation had worn off after Gladio talked to Noctis for a bit. He softened almost instantly, no longer the scary bodyguard, now the teasing older brother.

To think that Gladio had paid attention to him back then. That he liked him, even then, was a crazy notion to Prompto.

“Oh,” Prompto said, finally, knowing that the one syllable wasn’t enough to fully voice what he was feeling.

“Yeah,” Gladio nodded, somehow understanding it all anyway. “I only flirt with these people because I can’t have you, so I might as well try to get something. You kept cock blocking me yesterday, I thought you were just trying to be an ass, I never thought you were jealous.”

“I wasn’t jealous.”

“Prompto.”

“Okay, I was,” he said. “I’m getting that now. This is just very new and you’re so… You’ve seriously liked me for that long?”

“Yeah.”

“Holy shit.”

Gladio’s hands moved from his shoulders to his hips, pulling him closer. Prompto’s heart lurched in his chest. This was so unlike last night. Last night he thought he had been imagining the tension, now it was right in front of him. More than that, Gladio told him his feelings upfront with no bullshit. He didn’t know why he would expect any less from Gladio though.

Prompto felt shy suddenly, looking up at Gladio whose intense amber eyes were boring into his. The past few days had been some of the weirdest of his life, but he wasn’t complaining. Especially since he was 99% positive Gladio was about to kiss him.

“Tell me if I’m reading this wrong,” Gladio said before pressing their mouths together.

Make that 100% positive.

He most certainly wasn’t reading it wrong. Prompto moved his arms up and around Gladio’s neck, moving his lips against Gladio’s as he did so. This was taken as encouragement apparently, because soon he was lifted up, giving him no choice but to wrap his legs around Gladio’s waist.

They continued to kiss. Prompto’s lips moving clumsily against Gladio’s. He wasn’t the most experienced, and usually that would make him self-conscious, but he was too into it to care. Gladio’s tongue pressed against his lips and he opened his mouth, letting their tongues slide against each other. Prompto moaned as he licked the roof of his mouth, a part of his body he had no idea was sensitive.

He was lightheaded and incredibly aroused. His mind went back to the previous night, when Gladio’s hands had been on him. He wanted that again and he wanted it now. Their mouths parted, but Gladio kept close, scraping his teeth against Prompto’s jawline.

“I want to take you back to the hotel,” he said, his voice even deeper than usual.

“Yeah,” Prompto said, tilting his head back to allow Gladio to nip down his throat.

“You sure?”

“Completely,” Prompto said. “Gladio, please.”

Those were the magic words, but they didn’t do what Prompto thought they would do. Instead of putting Prompto back on his feet so that they could run back to the hotel, Gladio pulled Prompto up and over his shoulder before he started to walk briskly toward the Leville.

**OoOoOoO**

“I can’t believe you carried me the entire way here,” Prompto said after Gladio deposited him on the bed. “You really are a heathen.”

“You like it,” Gladio said, leaning over him.

“Maybe so.”

Gladio smiled. Not a cocky grin or a smug smirk, but an honest smile. One that said he was happy, happy to be there with Prompto, happy to be _with_ Prompto. It was an amazing smile, one that sent Prompto’s heart pounding against his chest. He couldn’t help but smile back before reaching up to run a hand through Gladio’s hair.

He was kissed then, slowly and patiently, so unlike the kiss from the alley. One of Gladio’s hands stroked the skin of his side that was exposed thanks to the costume. They weren’t doing anything other than looking at each other and doling out cautious touches. It was so weird and so different from how Prompto imagined Gladio would have sex. Everything the older man did was fierce and forceful, but last night and at that moment he was being nothing but tender.

“You’re so beautiful.”

Tender _and_ complimentary. Not what he thought he would get from Gladio.

“Cute is more like it,” Prompto said. “Noctis is the beautiful one.”

“Hey, don’t say shit like that,” Gladio said. “You’re beautiful.”

He didn’t believe Gladio, but the way he said it made him want to believe him.

Leaning up, Prompto kissed Gladio this time, making sure all sappy compliments would have to wait. Gladio happily went along with it, pushing his body against Prompto’s so he had no choice but to lie down on the bed.

Gladio didn’t let his bodyweight crush Prompto, keeping himself supported on his own arms, but he was as close to him as possible. As close as their cosplays would allow. Hands moved under different segments of cloth and on to any patch of skin available. They were getting good at kissing, opening their mouths up to each other and experimentally pressing their tongues in new places to test different reactions.

Prompto couldn’t remember the last time his stomach had gone this crazy with butterflies. There had been girlfriends and boyfriends in high school and a couple after. None of them lasted longer than a month and none went past making out and heavy petting. What he was doing with Gladio was completely different. It wasn’t aimless exploring, it was touching with intent.

“I hate these fucking costumes,” Gladio said against his lips.

“Me too.”

“Want to stand up to get them off and then get back on the bed?”

“That sounds so perfect, let’s do that,” Prompto said, pushing on Gladio’s shoulders.

He thought it would be awkward, to strip down in front of Gladio, but the elaborate costumes saved them from that. They were both so preoccupied figuring out how to unbutton or untie or unbuckle that they weren’t focusing on each other. Eventually Prompto got everything off except for his boxers. He stepped out of the pile of garments he had created at his feet before stepping toward Gladio.

A completely naked Gladio.

“Oh,” he said, looking from the expanse of Gladio’s chest, the eagle tattoo beautifully on display, and down to, well, he certainly was proportionate everywhere.

Gladio didn’t say anything, grabbing Prompto’s hips and slipping his fingers under the waistband of Prompto’s boxers. Their eyes met and Gladio raised an eyebrow in question. It took only a second’s pause before Prompto nodded. His boxers were pushed down and he stepped out of them, getting even closer to Gladio. They were still staring at each other and Prompto’s chest was moving with the deep breaths he was taking. He was nervous, beyond nervous, but they were the best kind of excited nerves.

One of Gladio’s hands came off his hip to cup his cock. He didn’t wrap his hand around it, just pressed his palm against it with light pressure.

“ _Oh_ ,” Prompto couldn’t help but moan, standing up on his tiptoes as if that would help him get even closer.

They kissed again and Prompto could feel the smile on Gladio’s lips. His hand didn’t make any other movements. It just stayed a constant presence as they kissed.

“What do you want?” Gladio asked once they parted.

“An orgasm would be great.”

Gladio laughed, genuine and soft and so different. Everything about Gladio was so different from what he knew and Prompto loved every second of it.

“Yeah, I’d like one of those too,” Gladio said. “How far do you want to take this though?”

That was a loaded question, but Prompto liked that Gladio was passing it along to him. He got the sense that if he wanted to go all the way Gladio would be happy to. He also got the sense that if he said he wanted to stop right now that Gladio would be happy to do that too.

Prompto had little time to prepare for this, since his relationship with Gladio had gone from platonic to very not platonic in such a short amount of time. He felt that he needed more time to emotionally prepare for anything too intense, so he stumbled together a response that he hoped made sense to Gladio.

“I just want you to be on top of me,” Prompto said. “I really liked that and I want you to make me come, but I’m not ready for… I’m not ready for you to fuck me.”

He didn’t need a mirror to know that he was bright red, but Gladio didn’t seem to find his words embarrassing. In fact, he was aroused by the words, going by Gladio’s cock that was firmer than it was before.

“Sounds good to me,” Gladio said, “and I like that you want me to fuck you someday.”

Prompto was kissed again before he could respond. His legs hit the back of the bed and soon he felt himself falling onto his back with Gladio once again on top of him. It was completely different this time since they were both naked. No longer were the awkward costumes in the way. They didn’t have to sneak their hands under clothing to make skin-to-skin contact. All Prompto could feel and touch was Gladio’s bare skin against his own.

“Spread your legs for me,” Gladio said, grabbing the underside of Prompto’s thighs.

“What?” He felt his back straighten abruptly. Hearing Gladio say those words sent a current of arousal and fear through him.

“Don’t worry,” Gladio said. “It’s just so this is easier. I’m not going to do anything you’re not ready for.”

“Okay,” Prompto said, relaxing his body again as he complied.

He spread his legs, letting Gladio rest in the cradle that he made between them. There was a slight ache in his thighs as he spread them. Gladio was so big and he was a lot to accommodate. Instead of discomfort, the thought and the ache made a wave of heat roll through his body.

Their kisses started to get messier and louder as they progressed. The wet sounds of their lips moving against each other seemed to echo in the quiet of the empty room. Prompto’s moans joined the sounds as Gladio slid his hands between the bed and Prompto to grab at his ass. He pushed their cocks together and Prompto’s toes curled and his mouth opened completely, no longer being able to keep enough control to kiss. Gladio rocked their hips together and Prompto could feel how hard and how big Gladio was against him.

He wound his fingers into Gladio’s hair, pulling him closer so that their foreheads could press together. They had given up on kissing for the moment.

“Shit,” Gladio said. He tightened his grip on Prompto’s ass, bucking his hips forward to create more friction and making Prompto keen. “Shit. Hold on a sec.”

“What?” Prompto said. “No, no holding. Keep going.”

“Gods, I want to,” Gladio said, pressing a messy kiss to his lips. “I just have to get something. It’s too dry.”

“Yeah, don’t think so,” Prompto said. He brought his legs up higher on Gladio’s back before locking his ankles together. “You feel good and I’m not letting you leave. Besides, I’m leaking all over you.”

“I know,” Gladio said. Another laugh from him, just as genuine and endearing as before. “You’re not alone there. I’ll be back in a second. There’s lube in my bag.”

Prompto was tempted to unlock his legs and let him get it, but he stopped. His new found jealous side thought about how Gladio once had plans of using that lube with people who weren’t him. Sure, those plans were over, but he couldn’t help feeling almost possessive. He locked his ankles even tighter together.

“You’re staying right here,” Prompto said, kissing Gladio’s neck. “With me. Right now.”

“I know, but – _shit_.”

It was a combination of Prompto licking a stripe up his throat and him pulling his hips up, grinding against Gladio that made all thoughts of leaving the bed escape from Gladio’s mind. He continued fucking his hips down on Prompto.

“Bossy little thing,” he grunted.

“You like it,” Prompto said.

That got him a tighter squeeze on his ass before Gladio took one hand off to make a grab for the bedside table. He opened the drawer, feeling blindly around inside before his hand came in contact with a small bottle of lotion.

“Oh, fuck yeah,” Gladio said, stopping all movement. He opened the bottle, squeezing a generous amount onto his palm before tossing the bottle on the floor. “Hold on, this is about to get even better.”

Prompto found that hard to believe, but he humored Gladio. He, reluctantly, let Gladio pull away from him so that he could reach down, enveloping both of their cocks in his hand. They both groaned, Gladio biting his lip and Prompto tossing his head back against the pillow.

Gladio was right. This was so much better. The slick slide of their cocks together in Gladio’s tight grip was pulling all sorts of shameless noises from him. He was jacking them off together and Prompto was fucking up into his fist, his hips pumping on their own accord. He didn’t know why it felt so amazing. Jacking off with lotion or lube always felt good, but it was nowhere near this good.

His cock was hot and completely encompassed in the heat from Gladio’s hand. A warmth was coiling in his stomach, signaling that he was close. All they had been doing was touching each other and rocking together, and Prompto was already so close.

“You like that, baby?” Gladio said, and oh, gods, now he was _talking_. “Come on, fuck my fist. Make yourself come.”

Fuck, who gave Gladio the right to talk like that? “ _Gladio_.”

“I know,” the older man said, his own voice getting breathier. “Baby you’re doing so good, you look so good. I wanna see you come all over yourself, Prompto.”

He whined. Not a small whine, but a loud, long, honest whine. Prompto reached out, grabbing onto Gladio’s shoulder as he continued to move his hips up into Gladio’s fist and against his cock. His eyes were squeezed closed as he tossed his head to the side, panting loudly through his open mouth.

He was so close and his hips were starting to get tired. Gladio was moving against him, but they were uniform and practiced thrusts. It wasn’t enough to make him come.

“Please, Gladio,” Prompto said, weakly moving his hips.

“Look at me,” Gladio said. “Come on. Look at us.”

Prompto’s hand that wasn’t on Gladio came up behind him to fist the pillowcase. He took a few shaky breaths before looking down to where their cocks were pressed together. The moan that fell from his mouth was the loudest one yet. Gladio’s cock was dark and thick, dripping pre-come onto his own dripping cock, that was a bright pink and much smaller. He always thought that his cock was a normal size, but Gladio’s was so much bigger in comparison.

“There you go,” Gladio said. “Keep going, baby.” Prompto started to move his hips again, his eyes locked on to both of their cocks, fucking Gladio’s fist. “That’s it. This is about you. Look how wet you are for me. Look at how much you want this. Make yourself come, sweetheart.”

He kept pumping his hips forward, his breathing getting louder and louder. His skin was overheated, sweat pooling in every place it could on his body. His legs were shaking from the effort, but with the friction and Gladio’s words he felt himself coming toward the edge.

“So close,” he whined. His fingertips were now digging into Gladio’s shoulders, creating angry little marks.

“Gods, I know,” Gladio said. “Me too. Just a little bit more. Come on, Prompto. I want that little cock to squirt all over you.”

That was it. With a final pump of his hips, Prompto spilled onto himself and Gladio’s hand. His arched his entire body back as his legs trembled and his stomach clenched. He heard a deep groan a moment later, followed by a curse and the feeling of warm come splashing onto his stomach. Gladio stroked him a few more times before he took away his hand and fell to the side of him on the bed.

There was nothing but their heavy breathing to fill the room as they both came down from their highs. Prompto reach out one of his hands to pat Gladio on the chest.

“That was… so good,” he managed.

“Yeah?” Gladio asked, also sounding out of breath. Prompto thought that was the first time he ever heard Gladio out of breath. “The talking… that wasn’t too much?”

“No, that was good,” Prompto said. “Great, even. I loved the talking.”

“Good,” Gladio said. “I liked doing it.”

“I liked hearing it.”

They laid there in silence for a few more moments before Gladio got off the bed. Instead of freaking out like he did before, Prompto watched him through hazy eyes as he moved around the room. Gladio gathered up their costumes and threw them onto the armchair in the corner. He then headed into the bathroom. He was in there less than a minute before he came back with a damp washcloth.

“For you,” he said, gesturing toward the mess on Prompto’s stomach.

“Such a gentleman,” Prompto said.

He wiped himself off as Gladio grabbed some clothes from his bag before making his way back to the bed, this time pulling back the covers. Prompto handed back the washcloth and Gladio tossed it into the pile with their costumes.

“Here,” Gladio said, handing Prompto one of his large black t-shirts.

Despite everything they had just done, Prompto found himself blushing at the thought of wearing one of Gladio’s shirts. He slipped it on while Gladio pulled on a pair of black boxer briefs. They got under the covers, easily moving into a spooning position with Gladio pressed against his back.

It was all so easy. It was almost routine. It was like they had already done this a million times.

“That was the best orgasm of my life,” Prompto said. “I just want you to know that.”

“Happy to hear it,” Gladio said, kissing the skin under Prompto’s ear. “Hope I can give you another one after we rest for a bit.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah,” Gladio said. “I want to eat you out.”

“Oh,” Prompto said, startled by the specificity of the response. “That’s – wow, uh please do that. Yeah, that sounds good.”

Gladio snorted into the back of his neck and tightened his hold around his waist. They laid like that, in perfectly happy and comfortable silence before Prompto’s phone buzzed from the floor. Prompto peered over the edge of the bed to see a text from Noctis. He leaned over the bed to grab it, pleased when Gladio loosened his hold to let him reach for it.

 **Iggy and I found the treasure,** the text read.

Prompto started to type a response, **Well, Gladio and I had sex, so I think I’m the real winner here.**

He set the phone on the bedside table before cuddling back up against Gladio. There was blissful silence for a few more minutes before his phone started to buzz in rapid succession. He picked it up again, reading a string of texts from Noctis.

**What????**

**Are you serious??????**

**You’re kidding.**

**Prompto, you’re kidding.**

**You didn’t fuck Gladio.**

**It’s been an hour since I last saw you how did this happen.**

**Please tell me you didn’t have sex with Gladio.**

**Fuck you Prompto what the hell.**

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't written a fanfic in three years and this is an entirely new fandom for me to write for, so apologies if I'm a bit rusty. And yes, the title is from a Taylor Swift song, look at my other works and you won't be surprised. I also did make a tiny NyxNoct reference in this fic because I love that pairing and I couldn't help myself.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you liked it and [here's my tumblr](http://erinmichelley.tumblr.com), if you want to follow me there.


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